The Closed Gate
It is mid-July.
The Cataclysm occurred in early April, so over three months have already passed. In that time, people have adapted to many changes. Some are visible and physically palpable, while others have subtly influenced our perceptions and ways of thinking. Among them, the one I have been focusing on lately is the public's perception of monsters.
"People who can view monsters as prey."
Even among those who awakened at the same time, gaps in levels have emerged. Some prefer to remain on Samira’s soil, while others prefer external activities. It is the same for ordinary people. There are those who want to spend their days sweating in safety, and those who yearn to fight monsters and awaken.
I chose to fight monsters out of necessity. Regardless of the reason, I decided to give preferential treatment to those who make the same choice as I do. Thus, I will henceforth refer to the Awakened who make fighting monsters their profession as Hunters.
“Boss. We’ve arrived.”
“Right. Give the people time for a final check…”
Today, I’ve come out with Samira’s Awakened to clear a yellow Closed Gate. Until now, we had only cleared Open Gates, so a Closed Gate is an unknown entity.
“It’s finally today. We’re still so underprepared.”
Jang Hoseop mutters this after looking over the Awakened. He isn’t talking about the gate clearing preparations.
“If we clear this place safely, everyone who came along gets the Hunter title, right?”
“If things go well.”
Including myself and my existing party, Samira’s high-level Awakened have gathered in one place. Because there is no information about Closed Gates, we are committing heavy force. At the same time, there is also the purpose of conducting a sort of qualification screening. If the gate clearing ends safely, I plan to grant the Hunter title to the Awakened who joined us today. Becoming a Hunter is a requirement for forming one's own team. Once they form teams, they will begin auto-hunting for me and Samira.
“For starters, Gi Eun-chae will definitely try to make her own team… I think about five people will apply?”
“So the number of people for external activities will decrease for a while.”
“Yes. It’s manageable if the executives form teams and operate, but…”
“Right. Let’s consider that, too.”
A week ago, I ordered a restructuring of Samira. In truth, I had been thinking about Hunters even before that, but the farming group getting ambushed by a monster horde provided a good excuse. It gave me the justification to provide exceptionally favorable treatment to Hunters. After all, they are the ones performing the difficult tasks that others cannot. So, using the restructuring as a pretext, I introduced the discriminatory status of Hunter.
“Think about the rest later… Go and report.”
“Understood. I’ll be right back.”
After finishing the preparations, Jang Hoseop stands in front of the Closed Gate and uses Gate Scouting. The Closed Gate we are clearing this time is in the area surrounding Samira. The gate entrance overlaps with the wall of a building, and it looks exactly like a building’s entrance.
The entry limit is a whopping 30 people. It’s a figure you don’t see in Open Gates.
“I’m back. There didn’t seem to be anything special.”
“What about the terrain?”
“It was mountainous. It seems to be quite high, but there were no other movements in the vicinity…”
Jang Hoseop shares the information he gathered after finishing Gate Scouting. I stood up after hearing his report.
“We’re entering. After entry, just as we discussed…”
All preparations are complete. We began our first Closed Gate clearance.
We entered the gate. As usual, I checked the surroundings first.
‘They’re all here.’
Every Awakened who entered with me is standing near me. Without needing to say anything, they naturally formed a formation and began guarding the perimeter.
“Boss.”
“It’s just us.”
There were a few scenarios we had discussed beforehand. I thought that after entering the gate, we might get separated or encounter outsiders. That didn’t happen.
‘That is…’
It’s good that we’re all together as I wanted. But one unexpected thing catches my eye.
“Is that, by any chance, a gate?”
“It seems so.”
A few steps away, there is a gray gate. Although the color is different, its size and shape are the same as the ones seen on Earth. When you pass through an Open Gate, you just naturally end up standing in a space. I’ve never seen a gate in the vicinity like this before.
“It’s in an inactive state.”
“Hmm… we might have to come back here later.”
I nod at Jang Hoseop’s words and check the mission for this gate.
Mumu’s Sanctuary
📍 1. Destroy the Gate Stone located in Mumu’s Sanctuary.
📍 2. Destroying the Gate Stone will close the gate.
📍 Time Limit: 30 days.
There are many differences from the gate missions we performed before. “It’s not an Energy Stone.”
“Yes. It’s a Gate Stone. And the instruction to destroy it is different, too. I don’t think it’s something you can take with you like an Energy Stone.”
The statement that the gate closes is also a bit strange. As I think about this, the system sends an additional message.
“Ah, it’s correct that we have to come back here.”
“So that really was a door.”
The inactive gate in front of us was the passage to return to Earth. It seems that after destroying the Gate Stone and a certain amount of time passes, this gate disappears entirely. In Open Gates, you are automatically transported the moment you complete the mission. On the other hand, in a Closed Gate, you have to return here and pass through the gate yourself.
“Instead, since that gate changes to an active state after some time passes, it means we can give up halfway.”
“Right.”
There are quite a few differences, but the mission is clear. Find the place called Mumu’s Sanctuary and destroy the Gate Stone, and that’s it. The slightly annoying part is:
“But why is there no mention of a reward?”
“Uh… maybe there isn’t a separate reward?”
It seems like a Closed Gate is a place where you have to work without pay.
“No, what kind of era is this to try and work people for free?” Jang Hoseop grumbles.
“Boss. Should we just stall for a bit and go back?”
The moment Jang Hoseop says that, another system message is delivered.
If the gate is not closed within the time limit, the gate will explode.
I don’t think the explosion the system is talking about is a small one. And it’s a different concept from gate collapse. It literally explodes.
“It says we can’t do that.”
“I see. Ugh…”
After finishing the situation assessment, we formed up and began to move. I am in the lead. The direction we need to go is clear. We appeared in a vast mountainous area, and we just need to climb the mountain.
‘The temperature here is cool. And there are no bugs.’
Moderately cool temperature and refreshing air. A clear sky. Aside from the fact that this is a gate, the environment itself is good. We walked for about five minutes like that.
‘Monsters?’
My Target Detection picks up numerous energies. They are in the direction we are heading. I sent a stop signal and gauged them accurately.
‘Level 15 to 18. About 30 of them.’
The size of their energy is similar to an Orc. But they aren’t Orcs. The trees are thick, so I can’t confirm them with my eyes yet. I sent a signal to those following me to relay the information and moved forward.
“Whoa.”
Soon, the forest ended, and a vast green pass appeared. A grassy field with almost no trees stretched out far into the distance.
“This is completely Daegwallyeong…”
Jang Hoseop can’t help but mutter. That’s how peaceful the scene before our eyes is. The identity of what I felt with Target Detection is a cow. A herd of cows was leisurely grazing.
No matter how good the environment is and how peaceful the atmosphere, a gate is a gate. The herd of cows we encountered was not an ordinary herd.
“But they aren’t attacking?”
I approached one of the cows closely. It has no interest in humans and is busy grazing.
“They are definitely monsters, though.”
It’s not just because of the size of their energy; even just looking at their appearance, they are monsters. If you only look at the fact that they walk on four legs and have spots, they look like the dairy cows we commonly know, but—
“Whoa, damn. But if you get stabbed by that, it’s at least fatal.”
There is a pair of absurdly long horns on its head. The direction they point is not up, but forward. Besides that, there are a few other differences from cows on Earth. The fact that they have abnormally thick and long tails dragging behind them. The fact that a round, weight-like object is attached to the end of the tail. And decisively—
“Ew… gross. Senior, why do they have another snout on their tongue?”
Just as Yuna said, they even have a small snout with teeth at the tip of their tongues. The cow-shaped monsters aren’t even lowering their heads. With what looks like a tongue or a tentacle dangling on the ground, they use the snout attached to the end to graze and bring the grass to their mouths. The movement looks like a snake or an elephant’s trunk.
“Hmm, I think they evolved like that because it’s hard to graze due to the horns… and that might not be a tongue.” Jang Hoseop ponders with a serious attitude.
“How would the meat taste? Even if it’s not beef cattle, it’s beef anyway… Boss, shall we catch one?”
I’m conflicted. Whether to ignore them and pass by, or catch them to gain experience and byproducts.
“Ah! I remembered.”
“What?”
“These are monsters. They’ve never been posted on the Square.”
While I was contemplating, Jang Hoseop and Yuna continued their conversation.
“Since they’re gross cows, how about ‘Gross-cow’?”
“Gross-cow? The sound doesn’t seem bad… Boss, what shall we do?”
“Go with Gross-cow. I don’t care.”
Around the time the name was decided by Yuna’s idea—
― Mumu
A strange cry was heard from far away.
“Muuuuuu!”
Then, the Gross-cows that were grazing stopped moving all at once. Their eyes turned red.
“Huh?”
“Prepare for battle!”
A new energy appeared on Target Detection. The energy is so large that it cannot be compared to these cow-shaped monsters.
“Don’t clash head-on! Attack from the sides as much as possible, and since their ankles are thin…”
I poured out words quickly. I relayed the things I could infer through the Gross-cow’s external features to Samira’s Awakened. But there isn’t much time.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.
Because the owner of the massive energy revealed itself. It wasn’t just the energy that was large. Along with the sound that shook the ground, a giant is approaching at high speed. It looks to be 5 meters tall. It is running on two legs, and its lower body is covered in white and black fur. Just like that of the Gross-cows.
“Mumu! Mumu!”
The giant opens its mouth and shouts. It’s a male voice.
“Crazy… it cried ‘Mumu’, so it was ‘Mumu’?”
I said, listening to Jang Hoseop’s muttering.
“Just handle the Gross-cows!”
“Understood!”
The Gross-cows began to charge toward us all at once. If that giant also jumps into this place, the damage to our party will likely be immense. I gripped my club tightly and ran forward.